Institutes and Programs

CENTER FOR THE ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURES AND INTERFACES (CASI)

CASI, directed by Professor Daniel Akins of the Chemistry Department, was originally established in 1988 with initial base funding from the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Minority Research Centers of Excellence program. The Center fully embraces the mission to foster an outstanding research environment that integrates research with education. The Center's goal is to use a multidisciplinary approach in the education and training of the next generation of scientists who focus on molecular nanomaterials and their uses in fabricating molecular nanodevices.

Potential research students are urged to contact akins@ccny.cuny.edu .

CREST CENTER FOR INTERFACE DESIGN AND ENGINEERED ASSEMBLY OF LOW DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS (CREST IDEALS)

IDEALS was established in 2016 with a $5M grant from the CREST Program of the National Science Foundation, designed to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research.  Its aim is to address the national need for "accelerating the pace of discovery and deployment of advanced material systems" as stated in the Materials Genome Inititiative. Scientists and engineers from the City College of New York (CCNY) and their partners at Lehman College, the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, and Virginia Tech employ experimental, analytical and numerical modeling tools to design and discover complex novel materials with new and enhanced functionalities and integrate education and research to enhance these enterprises.

INSTITUTE OF MACROMOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES (MMA)

Approved as an Institute of the City University of New York (CUNY) beginning in July, 2003, the MMA moved its base of operations to City College in 2007. It receives financial and structural support from various sources, most notably the National Science Foundation and the state Generating Employment through New York Science program (Gen*NY*sis). The MMA coordinates existing and new research investigations for both natural and engineered macromolecular assemblies of biological and medical importance, integrates graduate and undergraduate educational programs in these areas across CUNY, and aims to expand both public and private support for macromolecular research.

For more information, please contact MMA Director,  stark@sci.ccny.cuny.edu .

PATHWAYS BIOINFORMATICS AND BIOMOLECULAR CENTER

The Pathways Center was established with an NSF STEP grant in 2003 and was expanded with support from the HHMI science education program and the CCNY Biomedical Engineering department in 2004. The Center consists of computational facilities for bioinformatics research and education, and a Gateway Laboratory for training in molecular and structural biology. It uses Bioinformatics as a unified theme to prepare STEM students with diverse backgrounds for interdisciplinary research. Every year Pathways offers a summer Bioinformatics workshop and a course, Biomolecular Systems (SCI 28000) in the Spring.

Students interested in the Pathways Center or registering for one of its courses should contact Dr. Yuying Gosser.

MARC/RISE

The Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program is open to minority undergraduates. The Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) is open to undergraduates as well as Masters and Doctoral students. The intent of the programs, which accept students from all the sciences, is to encourage minority students to earn Ph.D. degrees and to pursue research careers in biomedical science. This is accomplished by providing stipends to students who participate in year-round research programs supervised by faculty mentors. In addition, students receive whatever academic support is necessary to strengthen their candidacy for professional or graduate school, or for the Ph.D. degree.

Interested students may contact MARC or RISE directly.

RESEARCH CENTERS IN MINORITY INSTITUTIONS (RCMI)

Faculty members in the Chemistry Department also participate in the RCMI. The RCMI at the City College is one of 18 national programs established and funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the NIH. The mission is to increase minority access to and participation in scientific research. The particular goal of RCMI at CCNY is to make its research facility, the Center for the Study of the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Development (CSCMBD) at City College, into a nationally recognized center of research excellence in the biomedical fields.